Estes Park Opinion

A test of leadership

Posted:
07/04/2014 10:09:18 AM MDT

It is hardly news that the flood of last fall challenged our community, businesses and economy. It brought home the fragile nature of an economic engine that relies so much on a single industry - in our case that is tourism.

Many business owners, town officials and community members felt the need for Estes Park to develop a year around economy in order to lessen the damage we all felt after the roads to Estes Park were washed away.

A new synergy was developed between local businesses, town officials and community members. As a result, the Estes Park Economic Development Corporation which was formed pre flood was poised to elect officers; a vote allowing the sale of Lot 4 passed, which opened the door for the development of a wellness center; voters also passed a 1% tax increase to provide money to allow Estes Park to keep its quality of life by allocating for road repair, an intergenerational community center, an emergency system etc.

In addition, the Town and Planning Commission are in process of expediting the code changes to facilitate the opening of a craft distillery and two craft brewers who plan on opening businesses here in Estes Park. Estes Park seemed to be well on its way to developing a year round economy and brining an estimated 70 new jobs to the area. It seemed that the infrastructure to provide for a year round economy was also well on its way to fruition.

Mixed Message on Affordable Housing

One critically important hurdle remains—A concern that Estes Park has been talking about for decades. Estes Park, has an acute affordable housing problem — one that negatively impacts the local workforce.

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On Tuesday, June 24, the Estes Park Board of Trustees voted down the Estes Park Housing Authority's Falcon Ridge affordable housing project annexation agreement, reducing by 38 percent the number of units that will be available on that property. Though the Board consists of seven Trustees elected to use their wisdom in leading this community forward, three no votes were cast which was sufficient to defeat the Housing Authority's innovative proposal—one that actually decreased total square footage. Two of those voting "no" cited the precedence of a 13 year old "agreement" that had expired; the third noted "the lack of adequate communication," as if the issue of affordable housing and the importance of utilizing the so-called "density bonus" to facilitate the Housing Authorities business plan was somehow brand new. There is never enough "communication," we have noticed, when people have objections. On June 24th it became an easy way of saying "no."

There were exceptions. While all 7 trustees (including the Mayor) verbalized their understanding of the problem and the need for affordable housing, when it came time to vote only two, John Ericson and Ward Nelson, cast votes in the affirmative. John Ericson, correctly we believe, summarized his support this way: "Nothing is ever perfect, we move forward doing the best job we can. It is important that we look at these projects not only from an internal point of view but from an external point of view."

Other members of this board have previously voiced support for both economic development and affordable housing, yet when they had a chance to vote for a tangible project that would help to secure our future, they deferred, essentially voting to continue the status quo. They voted to kick the proverbial can down the road to some indefinite future.

What we ask is this: How can you be for economic development but vote down a measure to increase affordable housing? Affordable housing is part of the essential infrastructure of economic development. It is not possible to have a viable community nor a vibrant and sustainable economy without an adequate workforce. We cannot keep ignoring the significance of this issue.

Some of the Trustees not only "Got It" but voted accordingly; we applaud you for having the strength to do so. "It's something we have to address, we must move forward," Nelson said prior to voting for the agreement.

In short, The affordable housing issue, is an economic development issue that must be addressed if this community is to maintain the quality of life and the services that all of us have come to expect. Those services range from those delivered by the Estes Park Medical Center to those provided by our public utilities. It takes workers to provide these services, and workers need affordable, or attainable, housing.

We again applaud the leadership taken by Nelson and Ercison. Like the rest of this community, we expect the elected members of the Board of Trustees to find solutions to the issues that come before them. We know that issues surrounding economic viability and sustainability of our community are not easy ones. We understand their complexity; but we also expect that the Board of Trustees will collectively confront them and chart a way forward. We ask that they will find solutions rather than raise objections, we expect them to lead rather than find ways to avoid confrontation. Choosing the status quo never reduces conflict. It simply postpones it. Those who have sought and won our support for public office must be aware of the changes in the world around us, and they must help their constituents understand the changes that are required here in Estes Park.

Elected leaders must lead. Good stewardship does not mean maintaining, let alone defending the status quo.

In the coming weeks, the Trail Gazette will continue to look into solutions and issues including but not limited to Vacation Housing rentals, zoning for such and compliance and enforcement of the current regulations.

Noncompliant Vacation Rentals

As the Trustees are well aware, the local housing situation is exacerbated by the number of existing properties currently being made available by their owners as vacation rentals (units rented for the summer months that might otherwise be available on a year-round basis). The trustees will discuss this issue during a July 8 study session held prior to their July 8 meeting. Trustees will be looking at vacation home regulations and enforcement of these regulations.

Trustees need to understand that their action is needed to assure regulations are enforced. A year ago, the Directors of the Association for Responsible Development did a spot survey of advertised short-term summer rentals. They found that more than 450 such properties exist in the area; it was estimated that 70% of these were not incompliance with the code.

Why is compliance important? Compliance provides for the protection of the character of residential neighborhoods both in the Town and in the Valley. There is also the matter of lost revenue. Non compliance means that there is a revenue loss to all local taxing districts, Larimer County and to the State of Colorado. This revenue loss includes business license fees for the Town, higher utility fees due to our two sanitation districts, and the two percent accommodations tax ("pillow tax") that supports Visit Estes Park, our local marketing district. One estimate of lost revenue from non-compliance places that amount at $100,000 per year. When fees and taxes go unpaid, the entire community suffers.

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